“It’s very funny. We really do treat this as a comedy until it’s not.” Which Shakespeare play are artists O’Malley Steuerman and Betse Lyons referring to? As You Like It? Perhaps A Midsummer Night’s Dream? More than just a name has been updated here. Their Romeo and Juliet, styled as R/J, brings comedy, contemporary flair, and representation to the Strand Theater Stage to complete their 15th season. Cover Image: Production photo of R/J at the Strand Theatre. Photo by Erik W Photography, erikwphotography.com, @erikwphotography on Instagram Previously cast together in Strand Theater’s production of Christmas at Pemberley, Steurman and Lyons […]
My Path Has Changed
Welcome back to Trans Lives. It’s been a while since I have written to you all and I miss you. COVID really put a damper on life for us all. In December 2021, after having all my shots including my booster, I still tested positive with COVID. My time with COVID was very mild and I tested negative after a week. The question I ask myself lately is whose path will I follow, mine or God’s? Well, that question has been answered, and I know whose path I will follow. I feel life’s journey and sometimes is never the way […]
My Five-Year Sex Reassignment Surgery Anniversary
This article will be among one of my more personal ones, but the truth. On April 8, 2021 will be my five-year anniversary since my Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS). In these five years life has changed in a big way, and every day is a learning experience being a post-op Transwoman. For those who may be thinking about SRS, know that things will never be the same. All I can say is when and if this is something you want to do, please search your heart and soul in having SRS. Know the reasons why you want to have the […]
A Mother’s Story & My Life
This is a letter that my mother wrote to her best friend’s husband about their friendship over my transition back in 2010. Later their friendship was reunited after they understood who I am. Here is that letter. Well David under the circumstance right now I think it’s better Kate and I just distance ourselves for a while because whenever I talk with her it only make me feel worse. I know she is having a hard time trying to understand what my son is going through and she is not interested in reading up on children born this way therefore […]
Losing Your Family and Friends
When I transition 10 years ago, I knew I might lose a couple of friends, but never the ones that were so close and family members to me in my life. This article will be among the ones that will be the hardest ones to write about, because I have lost a couple of wonderful family members and friends. The hardest thing is to have friendship that went to family, but then later lose them in your life. To them and I somewhat understand they have told me it was like I had died, and they lost a good friend. […]
In Your Corner Fighting For You
Wow in the past 10 years of my life it has been awesome for me since my transition. I know that with some Transgender people their lives have not been all that great. I just want to give you some Hope, Faith, and Love to say, “I Will Be In Your Corner Fighting For You”! I have been asked since my Genital Reconstructive Surgery (GRS) in 2016, why I am still so supportive and hanging out with the girls who are Crossdressers? My one answer to them all is, and I will always believe and say is, “I Will Never […]
Life Now as A Woman
I never knew how my life would be as a woman, but it has its ups and downs. You are wondering what I am talking about, well let me take you back in time. To understand me completely I need to return to the age of 13. As a young teen boy, I started dressing up in girls’ clothes. It was awesome and I got dressed up when ever I could. It started off putting my mom’s dresses and shoes on. I would walk around the house until my parents came home and I was so happy. I am not […]
The Battle Within
Hello and to start things off “Happy New Year”. Sorry you have not heard from me in a while. Like everyone else I did have my own issues to deal with in the year 2020, but not losing Hope and Faith that everything would get better. After being scammed and hacked it has been extremely hard to get my life back on track to trust in phone calls and emails to answer. I do not know where to start this time other than for 40 Years I had battled what was deep inside of myself to come out and “Be […]
Being Accepted with the Public
The day I transition and the fear that crossed my mind weather I would I be accepted with the public. The question I believe every Transgender person thinks about when they walk out the door is will, I be spotted, and the word we use is clocked. The public can be a cruel world for us if we do not pass, and it can also be rough once someone finds out who is Transphobia. I remembered my first time out in public and I feel I was incredibly lucky to have passed to most people I may have met. I […]
The Truth, Set Me Free
The day I transition I finally became Free to live my life as Karen. When I was Tony, I was happy, but never the way I am now. In this article I will be speaking about myself in the third person about Tony. I am doing so because I am no longer him and he is so different than I am today. He was highly active with friends, women, volunteering and going out and just enjoying what he thought was being happy. The problem, Tony was not truly happy due to a big secret and double life he was living. […]